PREVIEW: Vancouver Giants at Kelowna Rockets (Game #50)
Tonight at Prospera Place in Kelowna, the Vancouver Giants continue their three-in-three weekend with the first of back-to-back meetings with their division rivals, the Kelowna Rockets. So far this weekend the Giants have earned a single point thanks to a 4-3 overtime loss at home last night against the Kamloops Blazers. The Rockets also went to overtime in their battle with Victoria, but they emerged as the winners at home. Tonight marks the eighth meeting between these two clubs.
KELOWNA ROCKETS
OVERVIEW
Record: 32-14-1-3
Home Record: 19-5-0-1
Last Game: A 5-4 overtime victory at home last night over Victoria.
Last 10: 7-3-0-0
Record vs. VAN: 3-3-1-0
Goals For/Goals Against: 188 GF/155 GA (+33)
Power Play: 23.1% (10th)
Penalty Kill: 76.8% (18th)
Leading Scorers: Pavel Novak (23-32-55), Colton Dach (18-30-48), Andrew Cristall (16-26-42)
ABOUT LAST NIGHT
The Kelowna Rockets captured their 32nd win of the season last night thanks to a 5-4 overtime victory over the visiting Victoria Royals. At the 7-23 mark of the third period the Rockets trailed 4-2, but thanks to quick strikes from Max Graham and Tyson Feist, the Rockets stormed back to tie the game. Then at 1:29 of overtime, Gabriel Szturc recorded his 12th of the season to clinch the come-from-behind victory for the Rockets. Mark Liwiski, Colton Dach and Gabriel Szturc all finished with two points. Talyn Boyko earned the win in goal stopping 24 of the 28 shots he faced.
ROCKET NOTES
- Andrew Cristall leads all Kelowna skaters with eight points (1G, 7A) in six previous meetings against the Giants.
- Talyn Boyko is 2-1-1 against the Giants this season with a 2.52 goals-against average and a .907 save percentage.
- Kelowna’s power play has gone 6/24 against Vancouver so far.
- The Rockets have six victories this season when trailing after 40 minutes. One of those victories came against the Giants at home back on January 29th.
- Gabriel Stzurc, Pavel Novak and Colton Dach have each scored three times against the Giants this season.
VANCOUVER GIANTS
OVERVIEW
Record: 20-26-3-0
Road Record: 11-13-1-0
Last Game: A 4-3 overtime loss at home last night against Kamloops.
Last 10: 4-5-1-0
Goals For/Goals Against: 135 GF/166 GA (-31)
Power Play: 18.8% (16th)
Power Play: 76.5% (18th)
Leading Scorers: Fabian Lysell (18-24-42), Ty Thorpe (13-24-37), Alex Cotton (12-19-31)
THE SEASON SERIES
Tonight in Kelowna the Vancouver Giants will take aim at their fifth win of the season against the Kelowna Rockets. The Giants are 1-1-1-0 in three previous meetings in Kelowna, but have dropped each of their two previous meetings dating back to January 28th. Offensively the Giants have been led by Fabian Lysell who has notched three goals and six assists for nine points in four meetings against the Rockets. Zack Ostapchuk leads all Giants with four goals against Kelowna. In goal Jesper Vikman has started all seven games so far against the Rockets and has gone 4-2-1-0 with a 3.30 goals-against average and an .893 save percentage.
GIANT NOTES
- Cole Shepard enters today’s game with a three-game point streak.
- The Giants will be missing both Fabian Lysell and Alex Cotton due to suspensions received after yesterday’s game against Kamloops.
- Zack Ostapchuk has notched four goals in his previous three games.
- The Giants power play has gone 7/25 this season against Kelowna.
- Will Gurski will start his first game in 2022 tonight in Kelowna after Jesper Vikman left last night’s game with an injury.
